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Feel only-for in silence gently gliding

Fain would he shun both ear and sight,

"Twixt Prayer and watchful Love his heart dividing, A nursing father day and night.

Such were the tender arms, where cradled lay,
In her sweet natal day,

The Church of JESUS; such the love

He to his chosen taught for His dear widow'd Dove.

Warm'd underneath the Comforter's safe wing
They spread th' endearing warmth around :
Mourners, speed here your broken hearts to bring,
Here healing dews and balms abound:
Here are soft hands that cannot bless in vain,
By trial taught your pain :

Here loving hearts, that daily know

The heavenly consolations they on you bestow.

Sweet thoughts are theirs, that breathe serenest calms,

Of holy offerings timely paid,

Of fire from Heaven to bless thy votive alms

And passions on GoD's altar laid.

a Acts iv. 37. Having land, he sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles' feet.

The world to them is clos'd and now they shine

With rays of love divine,

Through darkest nooks of this dull earth

Pouring, in showery times, their glow of " quiet "mirth."

New hearts before their Saviour's feet to lay,

This is their first their dearest joy:

Their next, from heart to heart to clear the waya

For mutual love without alloy : Never so blest, as when in JESUS' roll

They write some hero-soul,

More pleas'd upon his brightening road

To wait, than if their own with all his radiance glow'd.

O happy spirits, mark'd by God and man

Their messages of love to bear",

What though long since in Heaven your brows began

The genial amarant wreath to wear,

And in th' eternal leisure of calm love

Ye banquet there above,

a Acts ix. 27. Barnabas took him, and brought him (Saul) to the

Apostles.

b Acts xi. 22. xiii. 2.

Yet in your sympathetic heart

We and our earthly griefs may ask and hope a part.

Comfort's true sons! amid the thoughts of down
That strew your pillow of repose,

Sure, 'tis one joy to muse, how ye unknown
By sweet remembrance soothe our woes,
And how the spark ye lit, of heavenly cheer,
Lives in our embers here,

Where'er the Cross is borne with smiles,

Or lighten❜d secretly by Love's endearing wiles :

Where'er one Levite in the temple keeps
The watch-fire of his midnight prayer,
Or issuing thence, the eyes of mourners steeps
In heavenly balm, fresh gather'd there;

Thus saints, that seem to die in earth's rude strife,

Only win double life :

They have but left our weary ways

To live in memory here, in heaven by love and praise.

ST. JOHN BAPTIST'S DAY.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the fathers unto the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers. Malachi iv. 5, 6.

TWICE in her season of decay

The fallen Church hath felt Elijah's eye
Dart from the wild its piercing ray :
Not keener burns, in the chill morning sky,
The herald star,

Whose torch afar

Shadows and boding night-birds fly.

Methinks we need him once again, That favour'd seer-but where shall he be found?

By Cherith's side we seek in vain,

In vain on Carmel's green and lonely mound :
Angels no more

From Sinai soar,

On his celestial errands bound.

But wafted to her glorious place

By harmless fire, among the ethereal thrones,
His spirit with a dear embrace
Thee the lov'd harbinger of Jesus owns,
Well-pleas'd to view

Her likeness true,

And trace, in thine, her own deep tones.

Deathless himself, he joys with thee To commune how a faithful martyr dies, And in the blest could envy be,

He would behold thy wounds with envious eyes, Star of our morn,

Who yet unborn

Didst guide our hope, where Christ should rise.

Now resting from your jealous care For sinners, such as Eden cannot know,

Ye pour for us your mingled prayer, No anxious fear to damp Affection's glow. Love draws a cloud

From you to shroud

Rebellion's mystery here below.

St. Luke i. 74. The Babe leaped in her womb for joy.

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